Camano Island restaurant owner mixes passion for cooking with travel

By CHRISTINA HARPER

Herald Writer

Renee Gerke has a love of cooking and a passion for travel, two ingredients that mix well in her work as executive chef at Renee’s on Camano.

Gerke, 45, was born in Spokane and started traveling early in life, moving from state to state while her father was in the military.

Growing up, Gerke was aware of being among good cooks, especially her two grandmothers. It didn’t take long for her to pick up the family inclination.

"My first Brownie badge was cooking," Gerke said with a chuckle.

Gerke remembers being traumatized when, after a move from California to Oregon, she burned a meal for the first time. Switching to an electric stove after using a gas one for years proved to be the culprit.

On her life journey to opening and operating Renee’s on Camano, Gerke worked in a pizzeria and for the Department of Agriculture and owned her own florist shop for three years.

She studied at the Culinary Institute of America and was approached by FujiVision of Tokyo with an offer to cater food for a movie location.

That led to travel in such exotic places as Bangkok, Japan, Bali and the Caribbean, collecting cooking tips and recipes along the way.

"If you are a chef and you truly enjoy travel, then go to Mexico to learn to cook Mexican food," Gerke said.

Gerke’s background has also enhanced the artistic side of being a chef. She likens experimenting with spices and ingredients to what an artist might do when creating.

"There are several different aspects that come into cooking," Gerke said. "One is creativity."

For Gerke there is always something new to learn. She chats with other chefs on the Internet and meets them in the countries she visits, such as her recent trip to Australia.

"There are lots of countries to touch yet," she said. "I would love to go to Greece, Portugal or China."

Gerke opened Renee’s on

Camano on July 4, 1997. The Northwest cuisine served there is made from fresh products purchased locally, she said.

A good way to explain Northwest cooking would be to say that the food is "prepared to accentuate the natural flavor of the food," Gerke said.

The 12-hour days five days a week at the restaurant doesn’t stop Gerke from cooking at home. She sees that as a hobby and tries to have family dinners with her Australian husband and some of the blended family’s 11 children when she can.

Gerke said she will always be a chef and that creating dishes is what she loves to do. Along with that comes the joy of travel and feedback from diners on her newly found concoctions.

"You’re in the kitchen and you look out and see people having a good time and laughing," Gerke said. "You say to yourself, ‘Yes!’"

Renee Gerke’s recipe for success

Her restaurant: Renee’s on Camano, 170 E. Cross Island Road, Camano Island; 360-387-0671;www.reneesoncamano.com/.

Favorite food: Gorgonzola-stuffed tenderloin napped with a Bordelaise sauce and served with fresh asparagus and celeriac mashed potatoes, accompanied by a glass of 1995 De Loach Pinot Noir.

Favorite kitchen tool: A 6-inch kitchen knife. Gerke suggests buying the sharpest chef’s knife you can afford. "It’s more important to have one good chef’s knife than a whole set of bad ones," Gerke said. She stressed having your knives professionally sharpened and never wash them in a dishwasher.

Favorite cookbook: "A Treasury of Great Recipes" by Mary and Vincent Price. Thriller actor Price and his wife collected recipes from places they had eaten.

"A Woman’s Place Is in the Kitchen" by chef Ann Cooper on the history of women in the kitchen.

Chef’s tip: Use needle-nose pliers to remove pin bones from fish and to debeard oysters.

Broiled Salmon Steaks With Horseradish Crust

23/4-inch-thick salmon steaks or two salmon filets.

2tablespoons melted unsalted butter

1/4cup dry white wine or vermouth

1/2cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs found in most supermarkets)

2tablespoons well-drained bottled horseradish

1minced scallion

Salt and pepper

Arrange the salmon in a buttered flameproof baking dish large enough to hold them in one layer. Brush lightly with some of the melted butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour wine around the salmon and broil under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until they are almost cooked through.

While the salmon is cooking, stir together the remaining butter, bread crumbs, horseradish and scallion. Pat the crumb mixture evenly over the salmon. Broil for 2 to 4 minutes more or until they are just cooked through and the crust is golden brown.

Serve with lemon saffron rice and steamed asparagus. Serves 2 people.